Volatile Times
by nightowlofdoom
Summary: Renata "Rennie" Avilov has been kicked out by her father and forced to move in with her Japanese cousins, the Nekozawa's. While past memories bring up nothing but tears and hurt, can Rennie get used to her new home? Or will she never be able to accept the love of her new family and friends?
1. Meeting the Avilov's

"Renata, we are done having this argument. Due to your lack of respect and your rather outlandish ways, you are being sent to live with your cousins in Japan, the Nekozawa's. And that's final."

The door slammed shut so hard you could hear the rattle of the wood as it shook. A young woman with a shorn head and an eyebrow piercing just stood in the middle of her room as shock and rage began taking over. Grabbing a priceless artifact once belonging to her mother, she threw it at the door and screamed as it shattered.

"I'm glad you don't want me anymore, dad! I'm glad you want me gone!" Her face was blood red with rage as she hurriedly packed her jeans, shirts, hoodies and other items she would need to get away from the Avilov house forever.

Ever since her mother and two brothers had died in a plane crash, Rennie had changed. She used to have long flowing brown hair and a smile on her face at all times, and even got along with her often-absent father. The night they learned the news, she snapped. She locked herself in her room and shaved her hair off with clippers, courtesy of her dad's little-used bathroom.

Rennie knew things would never be okay again, and she had been right. They began losing everything they had rather quickly; first her dad had been fired, then he spent nearly all their savings on alcohol and "business trips", and then he started beating her once she got her piercing. Bruises and scars coated her body, leaving almost no skin recognizable except for her face and neck.

Now she was being banished to live with cousins she didn't even know, somewhere in Japan so that her dad could finally move on with some woman he had met in a whorehouse.

Rennie scanned the room for the one thing she always kept with her whenever she went somewhere. She found it hanging on a mannequin her mother had placed in her room for a reason she would never really know.

She picked up the black locket and looked inside. There were two pictures; on one side was her mother glowing with life, and the other her brothers after a mud fight. Tears made their way out of her eyes as she put it on.

_I'm sorry.  
_  
There was a quiet knock on her door. "Come in," she choked out. It was her favorite driver, and he had tears in his eyes.

"Master Avilov has requested I drive you to the airport for your plane. The Nekozawa's have been notified and are expecting you."

Rennie nodded and grabbed her bags, only two as she didn't have much she wanted to bring. The driver, his name was Luka, quickly took them from her as he would never let her carry anything herself. She looked in his face and tried to smile.

"Thank you. And thank you for being the best driver Russia could offer." She hugged him quickly and made her way down the hall, not looking into the eyes of anyone she passed.

Her father stood waiting by the open door. He grabbed her arm as she attempted to get by him and pulled her back.

"Your mother would be sick if she saw you now, Renata," he growled.

With her eyes still pointing straight down, she replied with acid in her voice.

"Not as sick as she would be knowing you were throwing out _her only daughter_ to marry a prostitute."

With that, she ripped his arm away and climbed into the limo, saying goodbye to the home she had been raised in.

The plane was rather empty, but Rennie didn't care. She didn't really want to be around people; they were never her strong suit. Reaching into her ratty carry-on bag, Rennie pulled out her headphones and ipod before sitting down. As she looked through her song list, there was a tap on her shoulder. Glaring up at the person, she realized it was just the stewardess. "Excuse me," the woman said, her voice hitching as she saw the glare. "I'm afraid electronics cannot be used until after the plane has taken off."

Rennie sighed and pulled out the earbuds. "My bad." She grumbled. The stewardess left then, her attention grabbed by a crying child. Running a hand through her shorn hair, Rennie leaned back and tried not to think.

She felt a weight in the seat next to her. She didn't bother to look at whomever it was disturbing her non-thoughts, but when he tapped her shoulder, she rolled her head to face the person.

"Excuse me," the man said. "I don't mean to bother you, but you look very familiar. Are you from Russia?" His voice was deep and gravely, something normal to her ears. Turning a little red, she nodded. "Uh, yeah. I was born here. My family name is Avilov. You might have heard of us, but I doubt it was anything good." The man stared for a moment before clearing his throat.

"Oh, you must be Renata. I've heard things, yes, but I never expected to see you on a plane to Japan. Are you going on a vacation?" Rennie sighed inwardly at the man's question. It was none of his business, but it's not like people wouldn't soon find out about her absence.

She shook her head. "No, I'm not. I've been kicked out of my home by my hateful father. He left me with nothing and banished me to live with cousins in Japan. Well," she smiled, "I guess it is a vacation, of the permanent kind."

Before the man could ask anything more, the captain's voice rang over the intercom and begin his usual spiel. Rennie laid her head back once more and closed her eyes, hoping to get some sleep before landing, and also maybe to deter the curious stranger.


	2. Welcome to Japan!

The flight had been long and boring as they always seem to be. Rennie couldn't help watching her home country disappear behind them as she practiced her Japanese silently, thankful her mother decided it was something she needed to learn. The flight attendant had been hanging around more than she liked, though; everyone knew who she was without having to meet her since her father had made headlines with his failures and that really pissed her off. The attendant had even asked her where she was headed once she got to Japan. Rennie looked the stupid woman dead in the eye when she spoke.

"If it was any of your business, you would have been informed, no? Now leave me alone," she hissed. The woman apologized quickly and left for good, only walking by when absolutely necessary.

Finally they reached Japan. It was five o'clock in the morning and Rennie doubted anyone would actually be waiting for her. Once she got her things from the baggage claim, she wondered around aimlessly before noticing a rather strange couple. They seemed out of place as they held a sign in Russian that said, "Welcome, Renata, to Japan!" in bright colors. A small blonde girl was being held by someone in a cloak and she sighed internally and walked toward them.

The little girl saw her first. "Wh-who are you?" she asked, her voice curious as she took in Rennie's appearance. She tried to smile at the small child but she was just too tired. "Renata Avilov, your Russian cousin," she said in Japanese.

This time, the cloaked man looked at her. "Ah, you look different than we thought you would." His voice sounded tired and kind of sickly. She cocked her head at him. "Well, I used to be pretty but it's been awhile." She did manage to smile that time though, making both smile back, some of the awkwardness gone.

"I'm Kirimi!" the little girl squealed. "And this is my big brother Umehito! You're going to be living with us now, right? Why?"

Rennie tried not to let her irritation show. _She's a little girl. She's just curious. _

"We... me and my father just haven't been getting along too well lately." She looked at Umehito. "Thank you for coming to get me. I know this is such sudden notice."

He shook his head and yawned. "No problem. Not to be rude, but can we go now? I'm exhausted."

Rennie nodded, adjusting her bags and walking with them to a limo. The driver came out and took her bags. She half-expected it to be her usual driver, but alas it was not. Merely a stranger to her.

Nekozawa motioned to the open door. "Ladies and little sisters first," he said. Kirimi giggled and jumped inside, followed by Rennie and Nekozawa. Once the door was shut and they were situated, Nekozawa took off his hood to reveal a black wig.

He saw her staring and blushed. "I, uh, I'm allergic to light. It makes me sick," he muttered. Rennie nodded in understanding; her great-great grandmother had been the same way.

The drive was silent as Nekozawa nodded off and Kirimi curled up next to him. She felt a pang in her heart and had to stare out the window to keep her tears from showing. She held her locket and sighed. Memories of her brothers flooded her head and left a painful headache behind. She shut her eyes for a moment, but quickly found herself being shaken awake by Kirimi.

"We're home, Rennie-san!" She squealed. Rennie nodded and climbed out, taking in her surroundings.

The castle looked old but well-kept, seeming to be hundreds of years old. Candles lit up the area around it and while others may have found it terrifying, she had never felt so at peace before.

"Your home is beautiful, Umehito-san." She muttered. The eldest Nekozawa blushed ever so slightly and muttered "thanks" before showing her inside, the driver carrying her things up a stairwell.

The inside was nothing like the outside. It was furnished with expensive-looking chandeliers, couches, wallpaper and hardwood that was so shiny one could practically see their reflection.

"Welcome home Umehito, Kirimi, Renata," a chorus of maids chimed. Renata jumped a bit and looked at them, not realizing they were there until they spoke.

"Please, call me Rennie." She requested quietly. They all nodded and stared at the strange new arrival.

She began to get irritated at all the looks, not quite over her fight with her father. "Sorry if it seems rude, but could you show me to my room please? I am exhausted from the day's events and seriously need some sleep," she asked one of the younger maids. She nodded and smiled. "Of course, Mistress Avilov. Please come this way." The maid turned toward the staircase and beckoned her to follow.

Right when she was about to, Kirimi grabbed her legs. "I'm so excited you're here, Rennie-san!" She giggled. Rennie patted the girl's head as she did her brothers and smiled slightly. "Thanks, Kirimi. So am I."

Nekozawa came up to her and removed the young girl from her legs. "You'll be starting school on Monday. It's a place called Ouran Academy. I attend it myself and am the same year as you, Rennie-san. I also run the Black Magic Club, and you simply must come with me sometime." He smiled kind of creepily at her.

She shook her shoulders. "Cool, alright. I will. Goodnight, and thanks again."

Rennie followed the maid upstairs as they made their way down a long, brightly lit hallway. Rennie cringed at the light, her headache still pounding furiously.

Finally, the maid stopped in front of a door with a plaque next to it. It read "R. Avilov."

"Mistress Avilov, your room is directly across from Master Umehito's. I am to be your personal maid since you asked me to lead you to your room and I thank you for the honor."

Staring at the maid, Rennie nodded. "Uh, alright. Can I have your name?"

The maid smiled. "I am Hotaru. Do you need help changing into your sleeping clothes, Mistress Avilov?"

Rennie shook her head. "No, thank you. And please, don't be so formal. Call me Rennie; everyone at my old home did." A pang hit her again and she cringed slightly. "Unless you'll get into trouble."

Hotaru shook her head. "It's your request and I will honor it, Rennie. Now, have a good night. Please excuse me. I must get your clothes for school in order. They have a uniform; for ladies, it's a yellow dress."

"Seriously? Can't I wear the guys uniform?" Rennie asked, just wanting to get to bed and not wear dresses. "Is that okay, Hotaru?"

The maid frowned slightly. "I suppose so, but wouldn't you rather wear something more feminine?"

Rennie just laughed. It sounded a bit hysterical to the maid who watched in confusion.

"Do I look feminine at all to you? I have no hair, a piercing, and am wearing jeans and a band t-shirt. I would really rather not wear a dress." The maid nodded in slight understanding.

"Alright, Rennie. Goodnight." Hotaru said, taking her leave.

"Yeah," Rennie sighed heavily as she opened the door. "Goodnight."


	3. Dark Secrets Revealed

It was Sunday and two days after Rennie's arrival to the Nekozawa household. Sleep had not come to the young Russian both nights; memories of her old life haunting her and making her sick to her stomach. It was about seven in the morning when Hotaru came in to wake her. Instead, Rennie was showered and dressed in a black tank top and matching shorts, staring out the window as the sun climbed slowly higher into the sky. Kirimi, oddly enough, was asleep on her bed.

Making her way quietly to the teen, Hotaru tapped her shoulder. Rennie had heard the door open, but decided not to react until she was tapped.

"The Master and Mistress are requesting your presence in the Master's office." Hotaru kept her voice low so she wouldn't wake the sleeping child. Rennie nodded and followed the maid out, careful to shut the door quietly.

"Kirimi wanted me to read her manga before bed, and she fell asleep there." Rennie said, answering her maid's unasked question. As they walked down the hall, another maid came rushing up to them, her face panicked.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Miss Avilov, but have either of you seen Kirimi? She's not in her room and we can't find her anywhere! Master Umehito is in a tizzy, thinking she might have been kidnapped!"

There was a pause before Rennie started laughing. "She hasn't been kidnapped, she's in my room sleeping!" The two maids looked at each other in confusion; Rennie hadn't done as much as smile since she had arrived, and yet here she was laughing. The maid who spoke looked down and brushed out her clothes until Rennie was done.

"W-well, thank you, Miss Avilov. I'll go get her now," the maid's voice was quiet and she sounded a bit embarrassed. She quickly ran down the hall towards the room holding Kirimi.

Rennie looked to Hotaru. "Was it something I said?"

Her maid smiled and shook her head. "No, no, you're fine."

After what seemed like endless walking, they finally arrived to the patriarch's office. Hotaru went in first to announce the Russian's presence, then Rennie herself walked in.

"Thank you, Hotaru. You are excused." The man said. He was tall and thin, with green eyes and blonde hair. He wore a starched black business suit that fit him perfectly. He looked at Rennie's appearance and his eyes widened ever so slightly, but she saw it.

_Great. Here we go,_ she thought as she took a seat on a rather plush white couch next to the mother of Kirimi and Umehito.

"Well, it's an absolute pleasure to meet you, Renata," the matriarch said. "My name is Hansuke, but you may call me Suki if you wish." The woman had bright blue eyes and brown hair, with a loving smile on her face. A smile like the one Rennie's mother wore.

_Pang._

"The pleasure is all mine, Suki," Rennie muttered, unable to look Hansuke in the eye. Hansuke's heart melted a bit as she took in the state of the girl; shorn hair, a piercing, an uncomfortably thin body and thick black half-moons under her eyes.

The patriarch cleared his throat before speaking. "I am Mitsuo Nekozawa. When your father requested you stay with us, I was more than happy to accept. After all, I haven't seen you since... uh... well, there's no point in dwelling in the past! You have grown into a beautiful young woman. Your mother must be proud."

_Pang. _

Suki spoke up. "I haven't heard from your mother in a long time, dear. How are she and your brothers? Your father said that they had left you, but I doubt they would. After all, Hana is _not_ that kind of woman."

_Pang. Pang. Pang._

Tears welled up in Rennie eyes, but she would not let them slip. She took a deep breath and spoke. "Look. I don't know what my poor excuse for a father has told you, but my mother and brothers are dead. They died in a plane crash and he wanted to get rid of me so he could marry a whore. I'm sorry that he has forced me on you, and if you want me to leave, I understand. I am a ruined man's failure of a daughter, after all." Her voice was full of venom and hatred.

Mitsuo and Hansuke shared a look of utter shock. Silence reigned for a long while.

Suddenly, a knock echoed throughout the room causing all three to jump. "Y-yes, come in," Mitsuo called. The handle turned and Umehito, dressed in his cloak and wig, stepped in.

"Mother, Father, I am sorry to interrupt but it is time for breakfast and I was wondering if Rennie would like to join us. After all, it's been an hour and a half," the black magician said.

Suki spoke first in a rushed voice. "Oh wow, that much time has passed? Time flies with lively conversation! Go on, Rennie. Get something to eat. Mitsuo and I have some things to think over. We'll see you at dinner!" The woman practically shoved the two teens out of the room and closed the door.

Rennie and Umehito looked at each other.

"Well, that was odd. Normally Mother doesn't act like that," he said.

Rennie shrugged.

"I'm sure she was just thinking. After all, I told them a lot of things that must take time to sort through. What's for breakfast?"

Umehito and Rennie walked to the dining room in a comfortable silence, broken only when he spoke quietly to Belzeneef.

When they arrived, a large buffet was spread before them; all kinds of breakfast foods, including _kasha*_, fruits, yogurts, whipped cream and various toppings as well as a large variety of drinks, including red wine which was surprising.

Rennie got a small bowl of _kasha_ and some strawberry juice before sitting outside on a patio where Umehito was already devouring his meal.

He raised an eyebrow at Rennie when she sat down. "That's all you're eating?"

"I'm not very hungry, I guess." She picked up a spoon and ate a few bites before just mindlessly stirring it all around.

Umehito was not one to be easily fooled. Obviously he had noticed his cousin's constant lack of hunger and her deteriorating physique, but Belzeneef had also been telling him strange things about his cousin.

He picked up a blueberry muffin and took a small bite. "So, what's Russia like?" He asked.

Rennie looked up at him quickly. "Huh? Oh, Russia. Yeah. It's nice; the winters are harsh, but it's still beautiful year round. And we don't all drink vodka like it's water," she joked. Umehito snorted and took another bite.

"What about your family? Any brothers or sisters? How about your mom?"

"Uh, yeah. I have two brothers and my mom is a great woman. She is tall and beautiful and is the best seamstress in the world. She made me dresses all the time and I loved all of them. When we had a ball, she made this beautiful blue gown with layers and layers of thin, glittering fabrics at the bottom. I looked like a queen, ready to take on the world..." Rennie trailed off, thinking of that night. She didn't want Umehito to know the truth yet; she wanted to keep the peace with her two cousins for as long as possible, even if that meant lying.

Umehito smiled, a little bit of muffin on his face. "She sounds like an amazing woman."

Rennie smiled back as she picked up a napkin and wiped the crumbs from Umehito's face. "Yeah, she really is." Nekozawa's eyes widened.

Before either could say any more, Hotaru approached the table. "Sorry to interrupt you, but it's time for your school uniform fitting. I was able to order a few of the male uniforms, but we need to make sure they fit before tomorrow."

"Male uniforms, Hotaru? But she's a girl," Nekozawa's voice was confused.

"Don't worry Umehito, I requested them," Rennie replied. She turned to Hotaru. "Before we go, I need to get something from my room first. Is that okay?"

The maid nodded. "Of course."

Rennie stood and waved. "I'll see you later."

Umehito nodded. "Yeah, see you."

* * *

In her room, Rennie asked Hotaru to come in and close the door.

"Yes? Do you need to speak to me privately? I hope I've done nothing wrong," Hotaru's voice was nervous; she hadn't been working for the Nekozawa's long and had so far kept out of trouble.

Rennie was grim. "No, Hotaru. You aren't in trouble. I need to show you something, but I need you to keep it a secret or else you will be."

Hotaru swallowed hard and nodded.

Taking off her clothes, Rennie laid them on the bed and began to peel off what looked like her skin. At first, Hotaru was ready to shout, but when she saw what was underneath, she was unable to speak.

Bruises and cuts lined the girl's body from the bottom of neck down to her ankles. The suit she was removing showed unmarked skin, perfect compared to the horrors underneath.

Rennie, sliding off the part covering her legs, spoke quietly. "The reason I am showing you this is because you would have noticed when I was trying on the uniforms. I couldn't let you say anything that might lead to suspicion. My mother made these skin suits before she left, probably for herself... I found them in a trunk in her closet and began to wear them. They aren't perfect, but they work."

Rennie stood there, letting the maid take in the sight. Tears formed in Hotaru's eyes.

"O-oh, Rennie..." She whispered.

"Don't. I don't want to hear your pity. I couldn't risk being found out, okay? And if you even think of telling anyone, I will ruin you. I like you, Hotaru. You're a great maid and I don't want to do anything to hurt you, but this is important. Do you understand?"

Hotaru nodded.

Rennie smiled. "Good. Now, bring me the uniforms and let's get this over with."

* * *

**A/N: **I just want to apologize for this being so dark and weird. I promise it will pick up and things will change; it's all a part of what I have in my head. I don't know if I will involve romance in this story, and if I do, with who. Obviously not Nekozawa, even though he is my favorite and tied with Mori. We'll see how the story wants to be told. Thanks for reading!

-Nightowl

Also:

*Kasha - a type of porridge made from various grains eaten during breakfast.


	4. Defending The Cross-dresser

Rennie ran out of her classroom in a rush to escape the students that kept following her. All throughout the day they would ambush her with questions that she was so tired of answering. They were all the same;

"You're from Russia, right?"

"Why'd you move to Japan?"

"I heard you were related to Nekozawa-senpai."

"Why are you dressed like a boy?"

"Where's your hair?"

And the ever-popular statement among the girls -

"You're such a freak."

It's not like Rennie cared that they insulted her; honestly, it just made her laugh inside. She didn't expect anyone to understand and things had went better than expected. Rounding a corner that led to the lunch room, she finally slowed down and took several deep breaths. She didn't notice the quiet footsteps behind her.

"Hey, are you alright? I saw you running and I thought something was wrong," Rennie jumped hard and flew to face her follower. She saw a boy with short brown hair and doe-eyes. He looked innocent enough, but Rennie was weary all the same.

Rubbing a hand through her shorn hair, Rennie sighed deeply and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just... a little worn out. Who're you?"

The boy smiled and held out the hand not holding a bento box. "I'm Haruhi Fujioka It's a pleasure to meet you, Renata."

Looking at his held-out hand, something clicked in Rennie's head.

"You're a girl too, aren't you Fujioka?"

A small "yip" sound came from the suspected girl before she retracted her hand and laughed awkwardly.

"Uh, yeah... Is it that obvious?"

Rennie smiled. "Only if you know what to look for. Most people here seem fooled, even the teachers." A couple of girls came up just then and started talking to Haruhi, hearts in their eyes.

"Oh Haruhi-kun, would you like to sit with us today for lunch? It's so nice outside!"

Another one piped in. "Yeah, Haruhi, it would be amazing if you did!"

The third girl glared at Rennie before opening her mouth. "Besides, wouldn't you like to get away from this trash? I can't believe she had the nerve to talk to you. You know her story, right? Her father is marrying some strange lady so that he can just take all of her money, but the jokes on him! She's actually a prostitute!" All three began laughing and pulling at Haruhi, trying to drag her away from the "trash."

"Hey ladies, that's not very nice! Rennie-senpai is actually very interesting to talk to." Haruhi squirmed and sent a look toward Rennie for help. Sighing, the Russian walked up to the girls, now motionless at Haruhi's outburst as though she had grown two heads.

Quickly and carefully, Rennie pried the girls' fingers from Haruhi's shirt and pulled her out of their reaching grasps.

"Hey, that was rude! You scratched my hand!" The third girl yelped. Smiling wickedly, Rennie walked up to her and got in her face. The girl trembled a bit but held her gaze.

"A little scratch never hurt anyone, lady. Besides, don't you know it's _rude_ to snatch someone away like that? You're all like kidnappers."

"E-Excuse me? Kidnappers?!" She gasped out.

Rennie shrugged a shoulder with her smile still holding strong. "Hey, you're the one trying to drag Fujioka away, not me."

The girls regrouped and scoffed collectively before turning their backs and leaving. Rennie sighed and faced Haruhi. The cross-dresser just watched with a curious expression.

"THERE YOU ARE MY DARLING DAUGHTER! DADDY HAS BEEN SO WORRIED ABOUT YOU!" A high voice yelled from behind Rennie and a blur rushed past and tackled into Haruhi.

"Tamaki-senpai, I am not your daughter! Let me go!" Haruhi shouted as she struggled against the vice-like grip. The blonde had no intention of letting go it seemed, so once more Rennie stepped forward and began to pull him off.

Once freed, Haruhi glared at the blonde as he pouted in a nearby corner before facing Rennie with a grateful smile. "Sorry you had to save me again, Rennie-senpai. This is Tamaki Suoh."

Tamaki perked up at hearing his name and immediately went into "host-mode."

"Well hello there, Miss Avilov. My, aren't you just a refreshing ray of light on this awful cloudy day! Yes, I am the famous Tamaki Suoh, king of the Ouran High School Host Club!" He took Rennie's hand and kissed it gently. "What an interesting Princess you are, my dear. A truly unique beauty, much like myself!"

"Idiot," Rennie grumbled as she pulled her hand free and wiped it on the front of her pants. "Look, I don't care who you are or what club you're apart of. I just want to get to lunch. It's half over as it is."

Rennie turned to walk away but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Thinking it was the blonde idiot, she hissed.

"O-oh, sorry senpai. I was just wondering if you'd like to each lunch with me in the club room. It's right down the hallway and I'm s-sure the others won't mind," Haruhi said.

Rennie froze. "Thanks Haruhi-chan, but I promised Umehito I would eat lunch with his club. Maybe another time," she muttered. Continuing her way down the hall, more voices began to join Haruhi's and Tamaki's, but there was no way Rennie was turning around and stopping again. She was hungry and still had to find Umehito's club room.

Pulling a piece of paper out of her pocket, Rennie looked at the hastily-written directions and realized there was no way she could get lunch and get to the Black Magic club room in time, so instead of heading to the cafeteria she made her way straight to the club.

She passed many students who had quickly finished their lunches and were hanging out in the halls. Their stares bore unseen holes in her back, but Rennie just continued on like she didn't care. And she didn't, right?

It took several minutes, but finally she was at the club. The door was cracked and so she just let herself in.

"I thought you had gotten lost, Rennie-san," an all too familiar voice whispered. Closing the door completely, Rennie's eyes adjusted to the near-darkness and she saw several students eating at a table in the center of a rather macabre room, all with eyes on the newcomer.

"Yeah, well, stuff happened and I wasn't able to grab lunch," she said as she took a seat next to her fully-cloaked cousin who was sitting at the head of the table with an empty seat, the only empty seat, beside him. He watched her carefully as she walked, her movement sluggish and weary. Belzeneef watched as well, wary of the girl.

When she sat, she folded her arms on the table and rested her head in them and sighed deeply. Umehito patted her pack and shook his head, though Rennie couldn't see this.

"Everyone, this is Rennie, my cousin from Russia."

"Hi guys," she called with her head still buried in her arms. Her eyes hurt and she was tired from lack of sleep and dealing with Tamaki and the three girls.

No one spoke, but the sound of metal hitting porcelain picked up once more and the sounds of small talk were heard.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Umehito whispered.

"Nope, I sure don't. I just want to sleep," Rennie's reply was muffled.

Umehito looked to Belzeneef and the puppet just shrugged.

Soon, lunch time was over and Rennie bid farewell to her cousin.

"Oh Rennie, there's something I want to tell you," Umehito whispered. Nodding, Rennie leaned in.

"You can trust the Host Club," he said.

Rennie straightened up quickly, her face turning slightly pink. "H-How'd you know about that?" She stammered.

Umehito smiled while Belzeneef danced happily. "I know everything around here, Rennie-san."

She groaned.

"Of course you do, Umehito-san. Of course you do."

* * *

"Would you like to come to the Host Club? I'd like to thank you for helping me, and since you missed lunch today I figured it would be good if you ate something. Besides, you wouldn't have missed it if it weren't for me." Haruhi smiled her natural smile and Rennie couldn't help but return it.

"I'd love to, Haruhi-chan."

Haruhi had found Rennie asleep in the same library she'd been in and decided since school was over with, she would invite the girl to the Host Club as a form of thanks.

"Will the blonde be there?" Rennie asked as she stretched and stood up, shoving her stuff in her bag. Haruhi nodded.

"Tamaki wasn't kidding when he said he was king."

"I assumed as much, with that large ego of his. God, he's such an idiot; it's a wonder he's king" Rennie mused aloud.

The sound of laughter immediately filled the library. Rennie looked at Haruhi questioningly.

"What? Was it something I said?"

* * *

**A/N: **Things will pick up next chapter! Rennie meets the entirety of the Host Club, a possible love interest, and maybe even a threat! Stick around to find out what happens next in "Volatile Times!"

(P.S. It's 3:33 A.M. right now, so I'm out of it. Don't mind my slight exuberance.)

-Nightowl


	5. Damaged Goods

"Welcome!"

Rose petals swirled around Rennie and Haruhi when the large white door to Music Room #3 was opened. Six men stood waiting with smiles on their faces as they looked at the two arrivals with varying degrees of curiosity and amusement as well as shock.

"Sorry I'm late Kyouya-senpai, I was inviting Rennie-senpai to the club," Haruhi said, stepping inside the bright room. Small tables as well as red couches were placed tastefully throughout the room with warm pots of tea awaiting those who took a seat. So far no one else was there.

"Oh, you must be Renata Avilov. It's a pleasure to meet you," the one with black hair and glasses said. He wore a small smile that didn't truly seem sincere, but she didn't care. "I'm Kyouya Ootori."

"The pleasure's all mine, Kyouya-kun, and please, just call me Rennie."

He made a note in a black book and snapped it shut.

Two twins, she noticed, seemed to be eyeing her. "Can I help you?" She asked, a little venom in her voice. They snapped up straight, having been caught.

"No, no, we were just wondering - is short hair in fashion in Russia right now?" The taller one asked.

"Yeah, 'cause no girls in Japan have that kind of haircut," the shorter one added.

Rennie sighed before approaching them and getting a bit in their faces.

"You two must be Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin, correct?"

They both nodded, sweat-dropping.

Unexpectedly, Rennie smiled warmly. "Ah yes, my mother is a big fan of your family's work. She absolutely adores your clothes." Rennie didn't care to use the past-tense. These people knew nothing of her, so what did it matter?

"Ah, well, thanks," they stammered together.

Suddenly, something wrapped around Rennie's legs. She looked down to see a child clinging to her pants.

"Oh, oh! Do you know me, Rennie? Huh, do you?" His eyes were huge and innocent, but there was something behind them, something odd that make Rennie uncomfortable. She shook her head. "Sorry, I'm afraid I only knew these two because of my mom. Who're you?"

The child's happy grin suddenly turned into a very sad frown. "O-oh. Okay. I'm Mitsukuni, but you can call me Honey. And this," he turned to face the tallest person in the room, "is Takashi, but you can call him Mori!" By the end of the introductions, his bubbly attitude was back and he wore a large smile.

"Mitsukuni, let her go." Mori said, his voice low and calming.

Honey, realizing he was still attached to Rennie and that Hikaru and Kaoru had retreated, released her and jumped onto Mori's back.

"Ahh! Sorry, Ren-chan!" He hid slightly behind Mori's shoulders.

Laughing lightly, Rennie shook her head. "It's all good, Honey. You're in my fourth period, right? You do look familiar."

Honey smiled. "Yep, that's right!"

"Ah, Princess, there you are!" A bright voice shouted. Rennie facepalmed. "Oh yeah, I forgot about you, _king._"

Tamaki pouted but still persisted. Stopping in front of her, he placed his hand under her chin and lifted gently, forcing eye contact.

"Our first meeting didn't go as well as I'd hoped, Rennie-senpai. Maybe this time I'll make a stronger impression."

Rennie glared at the flighty blonde. "The only impression that's going to happen is my teeth marks in your hand if you don't let go right now."

"Oh, come now, don't be like th- OW! SHE BIT ME! _SHE BIT ME!" _Tamaki had trouble prying his hand from Rennie's strong jaw but eventually she released him. Tamaki held his hand to his chest and had tears streaming down his face.

"Hey, I warned you," Rennie mumbled. The rest of the Host club was silent during the whole exchange, watching with various expressions passing over their faces - confusion, amusement, concern, curiosity.

Tamaki ran to Kyouya and got on his knees. "Mommy, take me to the hospital! I think I need stitches and a rabies shot!"

"Mommy" looked down at the sobbing king with annoyance evident on his face. "You idiot, it didn't break the skin. And while Rennie-senpai is a tad wild, she does not have rabies. You got what you deserved." Pushing his glasses up, Kyouya faced the crowd.

"Well, now that that's been taken care of, club is now ten minutes late. Haruhi, I'm adding the expense to your debt since you're the one who brought Rennie-senpai here." He opened his book and wrote down presumably the amount she would owe them.

Rennie looked at Haruhi, who sighed loudly. "Don't worry about it."

"No way," Rennie argued. "You shouldn't have to pay them back for me making you guys late. Why can't they all just split the bill? Or make Tamaki pay for it since he started it?"

"Or you could pay for it, Rennie-senpai," Karou said, linking an arm through hers.

"Yeah, we could always use a new toy since Haruhi is busy and doesn't like to have fun." Hikaru linked his arm with her other one and they both pushed their faces into hers.

"Especially one with so much fire!" They said in unison.

Rennie wasn't having it.

"You know, I can just have Nekozawa curse you too, right?"

Both faces blanched and they quickly ran to a corner.

"No! No curses! Protect us, tano!" They pulled the still-weeping Tamaki in front of them as a shield.

"WHAT? No way am I taking the fall for you, you creepy doppelgangers!"

While the three continued to argue, the doors were opened and many ladies were let in. As soon as they were spotted, Hikaru, Kaoru and Tamaki transformed into Host Mode and took their places.

Rennie, on the other hand, turened to leave since she'd about had all she could handle. Before she could reach the door, a firm hand was placed on her shoulder. Ready to punch Tamaki in the throat, Rennie turned swiftly but saw Mori instead.

"Stay," He said.

Rennie gulped. "Uh, why? Obviously I am just causing trouble for Haruhi and everyone else. I really should go."

Mori shook his head and pointed toward where Honey was sitting alone on a red couch with two cakes in front of him and Usa-chan to his left.

Rennie, not really sure what was happening, simply nodded and began walking toward Honey. She would never admit it aloud, but Mori was just a little intimidating.

* * *

"And that's how I broke my elbow." Rennie finished. Honey was laughing his head off while Mori simply smiled, the most emotion she had yet to see on his face. So far, no designates had come over to request the cousin's attentions, so all three were left to amuse themselves.

Honey was still laughing when he spoke. "I can't believe all that happened just because your brother ate your chocolate bar!"

"Hey man, I was six and chocolate was to me as cake is to you. Lifeblood." Rennie grinned. She hadn't been this happy in a while.

Soon, the girls began to file out, many with tearful goodbyes since it would be a whole day before they got to spend quality time with their Hosts again.

Kyouya closed the doors and turned to face everyone. "Alright, time to clean up. Before that, we still have that trip to plan courtesy of our wounded king."

Tamaki, at the mention of king, stood proudly and stretched. Rennie did the same since she was rather stiff and just remained standing since it would be weird to sit down again.

"Okay everyone, I have decided what our trip is going to be!" Rennie could practically see the waves of excitement rolling off the blonde idiot.

"In one month's time, we are going to go camping!"

Silence reigned for several moments before the twin's groaning broke it.

"Seriously? But camping's gross!" Hikaru pouted.

"Yeah, and besides, that's what poor people do for fun. We should go somewhere with sand and water!" Kaoru suggested.

Haruhi rolled her eyes. "I'm gonna be busy."

Tamaki slid over to her. "You have to come! You can teach us fun commoner things to do, like... uhh... what do people do when they go camping?"

There was a collective sound of face-palming.

A door creaked open suddenly, and Nekozawa's hooded head poked out through the black door that randomly appears with Belzeneef under his chin. "Rennie? Are you ready to go?"

Everyone but Rennie jumped at the voice, which caused her to smile. "Yeah, be out in a second." She gave Mori, Honey and Haruhi a hug goodbye before shaking hands with Kyouya. "Thanks for letting me stay today, Kyouya-kun."

He smiled, and it seemed more geniune than the first time. "Oh believe me, Rennie-san, the pleasure was all mine."

* * *

Back at her bedroom, Rennie collapsed on her bed and just groaned. What a weird experience she'd had with Host Club, especially with Mori and Honey.

_I wonder why they had no girls to talk to? I know they're popular; they've got a crowd nearby before and after every class._

Rolling on her side, she heard a light tap on her door. "Unless you've got a chocolate bar or some aspirin, I wouldn't recommend coming in," she called.

The door creaked open and she felt a weight on the other side of the bed. "Luckily, I've got both." It was Nekozawa. Rennie rolled over. He was dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt, but no cloak or wig since it wasn't really bright anywhere in the house.

Snatching the bottle and candy from his hands, she quickly downed two aspirin and a bite of the chocolate before closing her eyes and smiling.

"You know, there's a reason you're my favorite cloaked cousin." He laughed lightly.

"Yeah, well, I do what I can."

After a few more bites, Rennie wrapped the rest of the chocolate up and sat it next to her. "Is there something you wanted to talk about?" She asked.

Nekozawa didn't speak for a long while. Rennie was worried but didn't push it. Finally, he spoke.

"I know your mom... I know your mom is dead, Rennie. I found out today. And your brothers. I'm so sorry."

Rennie's eyes widened before anger set her mouth into a hard line. "Who told you?"

Hearing the edge in her voice, Nekozawa tried calming her. "N-no one told me, Rennie. It's okay, I found out on my own-"

"Get out."

"...What?"

"Get. Out. Now."

Nekozawa quickly got off the bed and walked to the door. He looked back at Rennie, who glared, before leaving and shutting the door.

As soon as he did, however, the sound of shattering glass followed, as well as a scream.

Rennie was losing it. He wasn't supposed to know yet! But why did it matter? He was bound to find out soon enough.

Too much too soon. Now she would be smothered in pity and affection for the poor, weird orphan. Lovely.

Another vase smashed into the wall. Rennie didn't care; why should she?

Quickly stripping and removing the skin suit that had begun to wear out on the inside, she stood in front of the mirror where all the scars and bruises and cuts still healed and left marks.

"This is all your fault," she spat into the mirror. "Why couldn't you just be normal? Why couldn't dad love you? Obviously you're not worth keeping - damaged goods."

The venom dripped.

"You're letting mom down. You're letting _them_ down. You can't do anything right."

Tears streamed.

"You are _worthless."_


End file.
